How long does the abdomen drop in primiparous? The negative aspects of this process. Diagnostic signs, sensations

03.07.2019

Oddly enough, but this question is of interest not only to primiparous women. Even if the pregnancy is the second or even the third, then often the woman is still worried. Wasn't her belly sagging early? How long is there to wait for childbirth? Or why didn’t the belly go down, although it’s time to give birth?

Let's start a little from afar. Everyone knows that the uterus during pregnancy slightly changes the position of the organs in the woman's abdominal cavity. This is absolutely normal and, alas, inevitable. In this case, the stomach of a woman may be under the very ribs (which, by the way, is the cause of heartburn, which often accompanies pregnant women). In addition, a strongly grown belly can put pressure on the lungs, which makes breathing very difficult in late pregnancy. However, starting at 33-34 weeks of gestation, the belly may sink. This is due to the fact that the child takes a certain position, preparing for childbirth, the so-called presentation. Most often, children have a head presentation (but others are not excluded). In this case, the baby's head sinks into the woman's pelvis. And if earlier it was directly in the abdominal cavity, then in the last weeks of pregnancy the head is most often in the pelvis.

After the belly drops, the pregnant woman feels a lot of relief. It becomes easier for her to breathe, and heartburn is less common. After all, after the baby sank into the pelvis, the load on the woman's internal organs becomes much less. And the stomach, liver, intestines occupy the vacated space.

When does the belly drop in primiparous pregnant women?

As mentioned, the belly can drop from the middle of the third trimester. But in practice, there are a variety of cases. It happens that the belly drops even at 29 weeks, and at the same time there are women whose belly has not yet dropped at 39 weeks of pregnancy. Moreover, doctors sometimes witness the fact that until the very birth, the stomach remains in its place.

It is worth noting that the period when the belly falls in pregnant women does not always indicate the approach of childbirth. In primiparous women, the stomach can go down 4 weeks before childbirth, and 2 days. And no one can say with accuracy how much time is left before the baby is born.

However, we will nevertheless give some statistics regarding this process.

Most often, the belly sinks at 36 weeks of gestation. But if you have only 35 (or already 37) weeks of pregnancy and your belly has dropped, then you still do not need to panic. Moreover, you can hardly influence this process in any way.

Next, let's say about the average period that has passed from the moment when the stomach drops during pregnancy, until the birth itself. The most common period is 2-3 weeks. But again, no one can guarantee that if your belly has dropped only today, then tomorrow you will definitely not give birth.

When does the abdomen drop in multiparous pregnant women?

Again, here are the average figures. Most women say that in their second pregnancy, their belly drops at 38 weeks of gestation. Also, according to practical data, with the second or more births, the abdomen drops later than with the first, and also that labor occurs earlier than 2-3 weeks (as a rule, no more than 7 days pass).

How to understand that the stomach has dropped?

Very simple. If your palm is placed between your chest and belly, then this is a clear sign that the belly has already dropped. Also, do not forget that it will become much easier for you to breathe, heartburn will become less felt, but at the same time there will be additional pressure on the bladder and discomfort in the perineum.

By the end of pregnancy, almost any woman is impatiently waiting for the permission of childbirth, closely monitoring that her belly has not dropped. And if you go down, the question immediately arises, how long after that will pass before the birth, is it time to go to the hospital. Sometimes a woman does not see her belly dropping, but she already feels contractions. Obstetricians do not consider this symptom to be a clinically significant symptom of onset of labor. This does not prevent women from expecting his onset, as the first harbinger of the end of gestation.

Why does the position of the abdomen change? What is the time frame for this? Does it depend on what kind of childbirth in the account? And how to determine that the belly has dropped? Is it possible to determine when labor will come after the belly has dropped? Does it always go down? And what if it happened too early? You can find this information by reading this article on ours.

This process is inevitable, natural, brings with it some inconveniences and is associated with the growth of the fetus and position. The shape of the abdomen depends on the position that the baby takes in it, its size, the woman's physique and what kind of delivery is in order.

As soon as the zygote is fixed in the wall of the uterus, the size of the uterus begins to grow steadily. It lifts the abdominal organs up to the diaphragm. During this period, the fetus grows, moves and turns over in the amniotic fluid. When the fetus becomes large enough, the pregnant uterus raises the woman's abdominal organs high to the diaphragm. Internal organs put significant pressure on the diaphragm, it presses on the lungs. A woman is worried not only about the strongest heartburn, it becomes difficult for her to breathe.

Terms of omission

How long does the stomach go down? But this value is unstable, and depends on many factors (the structure of the woman's body, the condition of the muscles of her abdominal wall, what kind of pregnancy, its fertility, etc.), you cannot use this sign as a criterion for the need to lie down in the delivery room ... After you notice that your belly has dropped, it may take several more weeks before you start giving birth.

The average figures indicate that the belly sinks at a period of 36-. It is considered normal if delivery occurs from 38 to 42 weeks. Most often, women give birth from 39 to 41 weeks.

In primiparous women, the belly sinks much later than in those for whom this is the second or third pregnancy. Because the muscles in the abdominal wall are still quite elastic, and they support the pregnant uterus. In some cases, in primiparous, abdominal prolapse occurs already in the process of contractions. This is a variant of the norm and you should not worry about it.

That is, it is already clear that it is definitely impossible to say how much the belly sinks in during pregnancy, statistics call figures of the order of 2-3 weeks for multiparous women and 1 week for primiparas.

Does the abdomen always go down, and when is it difficult to notice the descent?

No not always. There are times when this does not happen. If a woman has a narrow pelvis, the abdomen may not go down at all because the baby cannot take the physiological position of readiness for delivery. The head cannot rest against the pelvic bones, as it normally does. In this case, an operative method is most often recommended.

In some cases, it can be difficult to notice that the abdomen has dropped or that the lowering itself occurs the day before childbirth or during labor. This situation is typical for:

polyhydramnios;
sometimes for the first birth.

With polyhydramnios, the omission itself, if it occurs, is difficult to notice. Yes, and the belly of expectant mothers suffering from polyhydramnios falls very infrequently.

In multiple pregnancies, abdominal prolapse, as a sign, is completely uninformative, since visually the abdomen is located high up until childbirth.

If the belly sank much earlier?

If the fundus of the uterus drops earlier than 35 weeks, this is a bad sign. This position of the uterus may be evidence of premature birth. If you notice signs before 35 weeks, see your doctor immediately for a course of maintenance treatment. In this case, drugs are prescribed. Which reduce the tone of the uterus, and allow you to bring the baby to the physiological timing of delivery.

In anticipation of childbirth, women in the last most painful weeks of pregnancy begin to look more and more for signs of imminent delivery. One of the harbingers is the prolapse of the pregnant tummy (decrease in the height of the fundus of the uterus). Many women wonder when their belly drops before childbirth. The timing is very individual and depends on many factors: the age of the woman, her physical form, activity, the number of fetuses.

During pregnancy, a woman's uterus changes the position of almost all internal organs. Starting from the 35th week, the baby makes preparatory actions for his imminent birth.

If for all the long weeks the baby's head was in the abdominal cavity, then closer to childbirth it moves to the pelvic region and gets into the birth canal.

There are times when the position of the baby does not change, and the presentation of the fetus remains not headache. This is a completely accurate indication for surgery -.

The last one to two months before become the most difficult for a pregnant woman. She begins to notice various signs that signal the imminent approach of labor.

The first and main one is the excitability of the uterus. A few weeks before childbirth, the woman's uterus is increasingly toned. That is, the muscles contract and tense, which indicates the approach of contractions.

Here are some more signs of an imminent birth:

Abdominal prolapse occurs.
Toilet trips become easier and more frequent as the uterus stops pressing on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
The fruit drops down and stands in a comfortable position in the small pelvis. Most often this happens head down.
Drawing pains in the lower back and lower abdomen. Often, women before childbirth feel unpleasant pains pressing on the pubis. This is due to the fact that the child gets into the birth canal and prepares for birth.
In a pregnant woman, a mucous plug may begin to come off. This discharge can come out in one go, and in several days. - an absolutely accurate sign of an imminent birth.
Diarrhea. Due to the drooping of the abdomen, it becomes easier for a woman to go to the toilet. Some pregnant women report increased loose stools. It is popularly believed that this is how the body cleans itself and prepares for childbirth.

Signs of abdominal prolapse

Abdominal prolapse is characterized by objective signs that any woman can notice:

Duck gait. It becomes more difficult for a woman to move around, and she begins to waddle around.
If a woman's hand begins to fit between the chest and abdomen, then, most likely, abdominal ptosis has already occurred.
The woman's breathing becomes easier. The abdomen stops pressing on the diaphragm.
Heartburn, which is constantly present in pregnant women, goes away without a trace.
The urge to use the toilet is becoming more common as the uterus begins to press on the bladder.
It becomes more difficult for a pregnant woman to sit, as unpleasant pressing sensations appear in the pubic area.

How many days before childbirth does the belly go down?

Every pregnant woman would like to know how many weeks the belly sinks before giving birth. But this question cannot be answered unequivocally.

In women who are preparing to become a mother for the first time, the belly can sink even a month before giving birth. But mothers with children may notice this sign 2-3 days before delivery.

Of course, such data cannot be applied to absolutely every pregnant woman. These are average figures.

The physical form of a woman plays an important role in the timing of abdominal prolapse. Weak abs can make it difficult to fix the baby in the lower abdomen. Women who have given birth have a less developed abs, so their belly sinks much later.

What to do if the stomach has dropped?

Abdominal prolapse, of course, speaks of imminent childbirth. But this does not mean at all that you need to run to the hospital. There are several recommendations for a pregnant woman who is expecting an imminent approach of labor.

It's time to collect all the necessary things. After lowering the abdomen, very little time may pass, and the expectant mother will urgently need to go to the maternity ward.

It is necessary to inform the doctor about the abdominal prolapse. If there is still too much time before the expected due date, you may have to see your gynecologist to check your cervix. If an early birth is expected, then you should just calm down and wait for the following signs.

Now the expectant mother needs good rest and sleep. Very soon she will need a lot of strength for the safe birth of a baby.

How can you understand that the stomach has dropped? - surprisingly, this question worries not only those who give birth for the first time, but also experienced mothers. This is the most obvious sign that there are only a few days left before the baby is born.

When does the belly go down in pregnant women?

All pregnancies are divided into trimesters. The lowering of the abdomen falls on the very last, third period. This process is individual and there are no clear boundaries when exactly it should come.

According to pregnant women, someone had a lowering of the abdomen at 29 weeks, and there are girls who have it just before childbirth, that is, from.
Also, doctors say that the location of the abdomen may not change at all.
This process is slightly delayed in women who give birth for the first time. The belly can sink from 2 days to 4 weeks before delivery.
A woman may not be surprised what this came from if she gives birth a second time. This is not a cause for panic, but a normal and natural process. Childbirth can also occur earlier.

For multiparous mothers, the norm is the birth of a baby on.

How does the belly go down before childbirth?

Not every woman can recognize that her belly has already dropped. This is accompanied by several signs:

Heartburn completely disappeared... This occurs due to the fact that the uterus is in a low position and ceases to significantly press on the stomach;
Instead, it begins to act on the bladder. In this regard, may more frequent urination;
The distance from the chest to the abdomen increases, a whole palm can now fit here;
In the ninth month of pregnancy, as a rule, appears dyspnea... After lowering the abdomen, breathing is noticeably easier;
May appear excretions, similar to thrush. This is due to the increased tone of the uterus before childbirth. But if they have a more characteristic shade (red or brown), then this is a reason to consult a doctor;
There is an opinion that before childbirth, after the belly has dropped, the fetus begins to behave less actively, since there is not enough space for him;
After lowering the abdomen in a pregnant woman may lose weight, up to 3 kilograms.

Lowering the abdomen is an individual process. In general, it can last up to seven days. But many women claim that the belly went down in just one night.

What does a sagging belly look like in pregnant women?

A sagging belly is easy to recognize. There are several main signs:

Shape changes... It becomes more elongated. Often in women who carry girls, this area becomes wide, as if "goes to the sides." When lowering, the abdomen rapidly stretches forward;
It seems to hang down becomes below the level of the hip bone;
Appears weighted view;
The number of stretch marks;
Stomach becomes hard, you can even put a glass of water on it and it will not fall;
A woman can see the waist, since the area between the abdomen near the chest increases markedly;
It is also believed that during this process increases the hip bone;
After fully lowering, the abdomen takes on a pear-shaped shape.

These are just standard signs. As already mentioned, each woman's body is unique and this process can occur in different ways.

In this video, real footage of a sagging belly an hour before giving birth:

In rare cases, lowering of the abdomen can occur almost imperceptibly by external signs. It will occupy the same location as before, but the pregnant woman will feel more comfortable. There are cases when, when the fetus is lowered, the shape of the expectant mother does not change.

Why is this happening?

Pregnancy is a long process. At this time, there are global changes in the woman's body, most of them occur in the abdominal cavity.

From the seventh month of gestation, the location of the stomach changes greatly, now, it can be in the region of the ribs. In this regard, appetite disappears and heartburn appears.
By the time the fruit reaches a weighty size. Usually, after this period, its growth slows down. As a rule, the belly can already be seen even under outerwear, in this regard its sinking begins... At the first stage of this process, a woman may not notice or feel anything.
Gradually, the baby's head will move into a pelvic position. The load on all organs becomes less, namely on the stomach and kidneys, and after a complete lowering it becomes minimal at all.

Many women ask the question, why does the abdominal lowering occur? Experts say this can happen for several reasons:

The body of the expectant mother is gradually preparing for childbirth.
The baby's head begins to occupy a pelvic position, which is why the process of opening the uterus occurs.
The baby's fetus has reached a significant size and the mother's abdomen is no longer able to maintain its original position.

As a rule, childbirth can occur in the period from an hour to the week after complete lowering.

The negative aspects of this process

If the belly sank, then the woman has only positive emotions, because this means that the moment of the first meeting with the long-awaited baby is approaching. But it can be accompanied by negative consequences.

Abdominal pain... As a rule, they fall on the lower part. This is due to the fact that the uterus is gradually preparing for the birth process. The sensations should be pulling, unpleasant and barely noticeable. If they become acute, then this is a reason to see a doctor;
Another unpleasant moment is an increase in the load on the spine. In this regard, there may appear lower back pain;
Often, after lowering the abdomen, a woman experiences stool disorder... This is due to the effect on the gastrointestinal tract;
Can begin problems with the work of the bladder, in this regard, the pregnant woman will feel discomfort;
Also, due to a change in the location of the fetus, a woman may begin to experience inconvenience when performing her usual actions.

Of course, there are many more positives. The woman feels light. Every day her body prepares for labor, and this is good news.

How long until delivery?

The attending physician must first explain to the patient how to understand that the stomach has dropped. As soon as it happened, she should inform him about it .

Childbirth can begin at any time, it all depends on the woman's body. This can happen the next day or one month later. It is also worth considering the gestational age.